Intimately allied with the Office of the Keys is that divine service which we call Confession. Confession embraces two parts. One is that we confess our sins. We are poor, miserable sinners, and remain such to our dying hour. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." We should repent of our sins and confess them with heart and mouth. This is the first part of Confession. The term "Confession" clearly indicates this. The other part is, that we receive absolution, or forgiveness, from the confessor, from the pastor, as from God Himself. You understand this from our devotion of the day before yesterday. We should in no way doubt, but firmly believe that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. For if we penitently confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, as He has promised in His Word. And in Confession God does this through the confessor. To be sure, if a hypocrite comes to Confession and with his mouth only confesses his sins, but at heart is impenitent, he does not receive forgiveness of sins, for, not having faith, he naturally does not accept the grace of God, though it is offered to him, too, in absolution.- What a blessed act of worship Confession is! There children of God come to their heavenly Father and penitently confess their sins, and implore grace for Christ's sake; and the heavenly Father most mercifully and kindly forgives them all their sins. Come to confession often, dear Christian! And there say the following confessional prayer, which is granted at once.